ACT

As temperatures drop and the year draws to a close, team ACT is taking some time to rest and reflect as we wrap up the year and spend time with our loved ones. 🌟 Wishing you a restful and joyous holiday season! #CoFoundersOfSocialChange

Sanjeev Thakur, an apple farmer from Himachal Pradesh, has transformed his farming practices with SWAR, achieving healthier soil, reduced water usage, and less weeding. This innovative approach has also helped him and many other farmers in Bharat reduce reliance on costly soluble nutrients, fostering more productive and sustainable agriculture. Centre for Environment Concern's System of Water for Agricultural Rejuvenation (SWAR) is a sub-soil water diffuser that connects to existing drip irrigation systems to deliver moisture in a calibrated manner directly to the root zone, where it is most needed. By ensuring optimal absorption and eliminating evaporation losses, SWAR saves water and improves soil fertility. Using overhead tanks, clay pots, and micro-tubes, the system adapts to soil type and crop needs, making it a game-changer for water-scarce regions. 🪴 This farmer-driven innovation is a testament to how technology and community collaboration can create meaningful climate impact. Watch this video to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gWyYQmVv Aneesh Mohan Gopal Komandur #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #ACTForEnvironment

Women make up nearly 50% of the global population, yet systemic barriers hold back their talent, innovation, and leadership. In this thought-provoking season finale #UnHerd episode, Shreyasi Singh, Founder and CEO of Harappa (now acquired by upGrad) speaks to Anupama Kashyap (Manager, ACT For Women) and asks the critical question: How can we create a world where every woman’s potential is valued and realized? UnHerd season 1’s last episode is out now! Tune in now on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gjqHExTt YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gBmkvik6 You can also read the transcript here: https://lnkd.in/gpAV7pXA #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #ACTForWomen

Social entrepreneurs tackling India's toughest challenges often fall outside traditional funding frameworks. Venture philanthropy bridges this gap, providing the patient, risk-tolerant capital they need. At ACT, we’re proud to fund and support mission-aligned founders working in education, healthcare, environment, and women’s workforce participation. Click here to read more about venture philanthropy and how we, at ACT, and some of our peers are channeling the best of tech-led innovation for meaningful social change: https://lnkd.in/gJygGEYz #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #VenturePhilanthropy #SocialImpact

Despite excelling in education, women often face what Shreyasi Singh, Founder and CEO, Harappa (now acquired by upGrad) calls "the greatest obstacle course in history" on their career journeys. From the broken rung to the glass ceiling—and even the glass cliff—systemic barriers persist at every stage. Shreyasi has navigated and overcome many of these obstacles, and she’s helping pave the way for other women in whatever way she can. In our last episode of season 1 of #UnHerd, she shares the lessons she’s learned and practical strategies for creating workplaces that truly work for women. What does it take to break barriers and build equitable environments? Don’t miss our UnHerd season finale this Friday for insights and inspiration! #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #ACTForWomen

Sometimes, saying 𝙉𝙊 is the boldest step towards living an empowered life. Delhi just witnessed a powerful conversation on 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝑶, breaking free from the '𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒆' trap that many women are conditioned to fall into. Building on insights from our Mumbai event, the second session of Stree-Leads x leap.club was a deep dive into boundaries, balance, and bravery. 🙌 Here’s what our incredible panellists shared: Megha Chawla, Senior Partner at Bain & Company, reminded us that saying no doesn’t close doors; it can lead to alternate, better ideas. Radhika Ghai, Founder & CEO, kindlife.in, shed light on navigating fundraising challenges, overcoming imposter syndrome, and the transformative power of recognising your own worth. Aarti Gupta, Partner at Anikarth Ventures, emphasised the importance of balancing business, family, and boundaries, highlighting how even the toughest NOs, especially to loved ones, are a sign of self-respect. Aakanksha Gulati, CEO, ACT, discussed how women often hold back in negotiations and stressed the need to redefine self-worth to break free. Naghma Mulla , CEO, EdelGive Foundation, explained how the word 'no' can feel heavy but is part of a bigger negotiation for yourself and your values. These women leaders redefined what it means to take the leap of saying NO while continuing to lead with purpose. We laughed, we reflected, and we left inspired. Can’t wait to continue this journey in Bangalore in February! ✨ #StreeLeads #WomenInPowerEmpower

As the year winds down, we're wrapping up Season 1 of UnHerd! 🎙️ For our season finale, we have someone who has been a trailblazer in the world of skill development with a mission-driven focus on women. She transitioned from a successful journalism career to co-found an online learning platform that has empowered countless professionals to enhance their leadership abilities. Can you guess who it is? Share your responses in the comments below! ⬇️ Episode drops this Friday, December 20th for you to end the year with some inspiration! 🚀 #CoFoundersOfSocialChange 

#MeetOurSuperStarFounders | Bindu Ananth, Dvara Health Finance India’s #healthcare challenges are vast: high out-of-pocket expenses, a lack of specialists, and overburdened health centers leave many underserved. This is where Dvara Health Finance steps in with NEEM, a transformative service innovation for Bharat. By transitioning from a fee-for-service model to a fee-for-value approach, NEEM empowers Community Health Workers with tech tools to deliver proactive, home-based care. Initial pilots in Maharashtra have already impacted over 1,000 families, showing remarkable progress in managing diabetes and hypertension for patients in Bharat. Watch the video to learn more about Dvara’s model and services. #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #PublicHealth #BuildForBharat #ACTForHealth

When we spoke with 200+ #startups as a part of #WISER last year, an insight that kept us up at night was how only 20% of tech and product roles are helmed by women; a number that thins out significantly at leadership levels.  WIS:TLE (Women in Startups: The Leadership Edition) is a #leadership accelerator designed to empower women at a CXO-1 level within these domains to accelerate their growth trajectory through peer learning, executive coaching and experiential learning with industry leaders like: Saikiran Krishnamurthy, Cofounder & CEO - xto10x  Deepak Rajanna, CPO - SatSure Suman Gopalan, Ex-CHRO - Freshworks and Advisory Council Chair - #ACTForWomen Sonia Parandekar, Head of Engineering - Atlassian Gayatri Das Sharma, Cofounder - Timshel Kalpana Swaminathan, CHRO - Groww Naiyya Saggi, Cofounder - The Good Glamm Group Natesh Selvaraj, Founder - Core Shift Consulting Rakhi Singh, Cofounder - Timshel Gayatri Yadav, CMO - Peak XV If you’re a Series D+ Indian #startup, WIS:TLE promises to be a valuable platform to help you advance on your #genderdiversity goals - write to us at sowjanya@actgrants.in and we’ll help you learn more! 📧 Aakanksha Gulati Anjali Bansal Anupama Kashyap Mohit Bhatnagar Sowjanya Kanuri Shekhar Kirani Suman Gopalan Upasana Nallari #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #BridgingTheGenderGap #FutureForward #GenderEquity

The bold aim for WIS:TLE (Women in Startups: The Leadership Edition) is to enable #startups to lead the way on building gender diverse #leadership.  While this accelerator will provide a platform for participating startups to develop their next-in-line tech/product leaders and build their employer brand, participating women (currently at CXO-1 levels at these startups) will get access to: 💫 Peer Network: Collaborate with senior product/tech women leaders, sharing diverse perspectives on shared challenges. 💫 Experiential Learning: Case study-based sessions with industry leaders who’ve navigated similar journeys to help you build holistic business leadership. 💫 Executive Coaching: Tailored guidance to address your unique behavioral leadership priorities. 💫 Organisational Support: Active involvement from your startup's leadership to contextualise your growth journey. Our 4-month pilot cohort begins early 2025 so if you’re curious about the program, write to sowjanya@actgrants.in and we’ll reach out! Aakanksha Gulati Anjali Bansal Anupama Kashyap Gayatri Yadav Mohit Bhatnagar Shekhar Kirani Sowjanya Kanuri Suman Gopalan Upasana Nallari #CoFoundersOfSocialChange #BridgingTheGenderGap #FutureForward #GenderEquity